It’s pretty amazing how we pigeon-hole people’s talents and skills. All of us do it, most of the time unknowingly.
Our new temporary Musical Director, for the adults Choir I play piano for, has some amazing warm ups and he loves taking the choir through them. Sometimes it takes 15-20 minutes to warm their voices up properly. He sits at the piano, makes eye contact with each member of the choir and really works them hard. Bless him.
As the other part of the musical team, I’d look a bit strange if I sat on a chair at one end of the hall and didn’t participate. Conversely, if I warm my voice up it’s not exactly going to be used (unless I am making a joke because I missed a cue or make a comment to encourage the choir).
So lately, I have been joining in the warm-ups.
Being a mezzo-soprano, I’ve got the kind of voice that means if I sing with the altos, most of the time I’m okay and, if I sing with the sopranos apart from the top end of the spectrum I’m mostly okay too. So I generally stand with the troops near where the piano is so I can run to it when it’s time for the note and part learning portion of the rehearsal. In the meantime I give it heaps and learn technique about warming up.
Our Musical Director swapped the choir chairs around a few weeks ago – he likes the tenors and sopranos on his right and that’s also where the piano is. Of all the choirs I’ve accompanied, this will be the first time the sopranos have stood to the right of the Musical Director. So lately I’ve been hanging with my sisters in the sopranos and getting hugs, smiles, encouragement and comments like “even Karen’s joining in”… it seems to amuse them! It’s also been great to hear the tenors singing behind me.
What the choir doesn’t know is that being a choral pianist (all be it amateur) means over the years I’ve had some experience in singing in the past. My ear gets pretty trained working with two choirs and two Musical Directors a week, working with the scores at home and listening to the works. I’ve learnt a little singing technique, breathing, and understandably hear pitch constantly they aren’t just notes I play after all. The adults also don’t know that as a teen I have participated in auditioned choirs- at secondary school and a choir, now defunct, called The Celebration Singers that also toured. Yes, it’s been a while but I earnt my stripes back then.
Celebration Singers, performing in Queenstown 1988.
It’s quite nice to stand with the choir at times- to not have a keyboard and the rest of the piano separating me from them and to hear some of the voices that I am playing notes for.
When I work with the children’s choir, I sing much more often- they expect me to be involved with them and to help them, to show them when I am explaining and they don’t mind if my voice isn’t perfect. They listen intently to get the hang of what I’m saying when I work with them in small groups. Our Musical Director is a true alto so sometimes it comes in handy being able to sing a little bit higher to help with pitch when the children are learning songs.
So why is sometimes unknowlingly we make the assumption that our pianists don’t really know much about singing yet we assume a Musical Director can play piano? Not sure.
I’d love to be able to call myself a collaborative pianist there is so much more than just banging out notes and counting rhythms. It takes a great deal of understanding of the music, vocal technique , ability to work with different Musical Directors, orchestras, soloists and choirs to do a good job of that role behind the keys. There are instructions on a score but a lot of the cues are verbal and pitch based and down to individual interpretation as well as supporting and encouraging from the keys.
It’s a very special relationship choirs have with their pianist. I’d love to know how many choirs really know the background and skills their pianist has to offer and what other roles and skills he/she contributes to putting together a programme. You never know it might surprise you!!
The adult choir I work with are getting to know more about me musically as the years go on and it’s lovely.
KB
About Karen: Karen is the pianist for the Hutt Valley Singers a Community Choir in Upper Hutt New Zealand, and The Major Minors Children's Choir (aged 4-12). You can read more of her blogs at http://boycekarenj.wordpress.com
